JD(S) holds meet to discuss upcoming local polls, HDK declares ‘war on Sidda and DKS’

Ahead of the taluk and zilla panchayat elections, the Janata Dal (Secular) convened its core committee meeting at the residence of Union minister and party state president HD Kumaraswamy. However, core committee chief GT Devegowda did not attend the meeting, who has kept a distance from Kumaraswamy in recent weeks.

During the meeting on Saturday, senior JD(S) leaders met to strategise the party’s organisational rebuilding in the Bengaluru region and gear up for the upcoming taluk and zilla panchayat elections. According to a party leader, discussions also focused on launching a mass movement against the Congress government in Karnataka, with Kumaraswamy calling for intensified ground-level campaigns.

The leader further said that Devegowda could not attend the meeting. While Devegowda has not issued any statement on his absence at the event, HT tried calling, there was no response. 

“I have declared war on chief minister Siddaramaiah and DCM D K Shivakumar,” Kumaraswamy told reporters after the meeting. He further announced that he would soon embark on a statewide tour covering 15 districts, beginning with the Old Mysuru region, to rebuild the party from the ground up.

“I will dedicate a full day to each district, spending time with party workers and leaders, listening directly to their grievances, and resolving them. The tour schedule will be finalised soon,” Kumaraswamy said. Acknowledging his Cabinet role at the Centre, he added, “I’m striving to do meaningful work in line with the PM’s expectations, and despite my responsibilities at the Centre, I am ensuring time for party organisation. I will meet every worker and every leader.”

The JD(S) chief urged party leaders to hold protests highlighting rising costs under the Congress government, including hikes in electricity tariffs, water shortages, increased bus fares, and the soaring prices of milk, curd, and diesel. “Standing by the people in their hardship is our foremost duty—no one must forget this,” he said.

He also instructed party leaders to re-energise efforts in the run-up to the local body elections.

Reaffirming the JD(S)’s alliance with the BJP, Kumaraswamy said there were no coordination issues. “I am discussing with BJP leaders formation of a coordination committee,” he said.